Disney done right: Finding the right Disney resort for your family

January 27, 2011 By
Walt Disney World Resort

When visiting Disney, we recommend fully immersing yourself in the magic of an on-site resort, but as a family of five, we also know the frustration families of five or more experience when seeking accommodations at a reasonable rate. Below are our ways to sleep in comfort, style (and within budget) at a Walt Disney World resort as a family of five (or more):

Know your options. At first glance, you may think the only way to get a low rate at a Disney hotel is to stay at one of their ‘value’ resorts. While that may be a great option (especially with the opening of All Star Music’s family suites), it’s not your only one. Disney Vacation Club members enjoy yearly points at Disney resorts and villas, and you don’t have to join to enjoy the savings: it’s possible (and entirely ‘above board’) to buy points from a DVC member for a discounted room rate at any of Disney’s deluxe studio, one room, two room, and even three room villas.

Learn the layout. (Of each resort, that is.) Not all Disney resort rooms are created equal. For instance, Port Orleans’ Alligator Bayou rooms include an extra trundle bed, allowing five people per room. (But note that anyone over age five is going to be mighty uncomfortable on that pull-out bed.) The Grand Floridian and the Contemporary (deluxe category) both sleep five in a standard room…but the Contemporary’s room layout offers a significantly larger square footage for less money per night.

Think outside the (single room) box. Consider booking two connecting rooms at a moderate or value resort for the same price of one deluxe room. Or opt for a value resort family suite; what you’ll sacrifice in resort ambiance and amenities you’ll gain in space for your family (as well as a kitchenette!). All Stars Music currently offers such suites for as low as $190 a night in the value season, and in summer of 2012, Disney will offer families another suite option at the brand new Art of Animation. If you want to stay off the beaten path (as much as that’s possible at Disney!), Disney’s Fort Wilderness cabins sleep six.

Above all, do your research. Check our favorite source for Disney resort room discounts, and plan your trip around a Disney ‘value’ season if possible. Of course, the easiest resort solution for a family of five or more is simply to splurge: reserve a suite or connecting rooms at a deluxe hotel or deluxe villa and ignore the cost. If you can do so, by all means: be my guest! (Or rather Disney’s.) I envy you!

More Disney Done Right articles are located on our Family Vacations page.

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta

Disney done right: How to enjoy the ‘Magic’

January 21, 2011 By

Yes, that’s ‘Magic’ with a capital M, because ultimately, we’re paying (and hoping)  for nothing less when we book a Disney vacation with our kids. Instead, what we often experience (or witness others experiencing) is exhaustion, over-stimulation, and even outright disappointment. Every family (and Disney park) will have their good days and bad days, but 99% of the time, it doesn’t have to be difficult. The following are Pit Stops for Kids tested and approved tips for enjoying a Disney theme park and Disney resorts with your kids.

front car, Disney monorail

The Pit Stops kids ride ‘shotgun’ on the Monorail.

1. Slow down. There is so much to do. There is (relatively) little time to do it. The result can be a frantic sprint through the happiest place on earth, during which you and your family are spending every minute rushing to the next thing instead of enjoying where you are. Take a deep breath, relax, and come to grips with the fact that you cannot see it all. Instead, pay attention to the details…Disney certainly has. Beautiful, fully imaginative theming is all around you. While waiting in lines, look for Hidden Mickeys with the kids. While on Tom Sawyer Island, stop for an impromptu game of checkers in the shade. If you take the Monorail, queue into the busier front line, even if it means passing up a few trains before you can board: your kids will get to sit up front with the driver and get a view of Epcot and the Magic Kingdom seldom seen.

Tip: take the time to look for magical Disney touches. Read about special Disney surprises in store at the parks!

2. Take care of yourself. Seems obvious, but given the number of sunburn and sunstroke cases Disney paramedics see every day, it bears saying: carry water bottles, put on sunscreen, and wear shades and hats when necessary. To off-set the cost of beverages in the parks, we carry individual packets of powdered drink mix. Just add to drinking fountain water, and you’re hydrated without paying $.595 an ounce (ok, it’s not really that bad). Consider staying on-site to allow kids (and adults) to conveniently take afternoon breaks or naps.

Nate and Calvin take a break on Tom Sawyer Island.

3. Come prepared. There’s no need to study Disney park maps as though you’re preparing to invade Poland (or so my family tells me), but there are a few key things to know before you go: the park’s daily schedule (when are the parades or shows? Are there character appearances?) and hours (does this park offer Extra Magic Hour today? Is it open late?) Even if you’re not interested in a park’s given entertainment, it’s good to know what areas to avoid (and when); the rest of the park will be less crowded during those hours. Likewise, if a park is open late for a show or event you don’t plan to attend, consider clearing out in the early afternoon, when event-attendees are just entering. If your park is hosting Extra Magic Hour in the morning, it can be a good idea to arrive right at rope drop and then leave to hit a different park around lunchtime; most EMH guests stay put, causing crowd levels to rise substantially when the off-site guests join them at regular park opening.

4. Ask questions. Most Disney Cast Members genuinely enjoy their jobs, and all are a wealth of information. Not sure if the line you’re standing in is for the ride or the Dole pineapple float (worth any wait, by the way)? Ask! We’ve asked employees whether there’s a better place to stake out for a parade, whether there’s a short-cut to the ‘land’ we’re walking to, whether a show is right for our toddler, and more, and all have appreciated our confidence in their expertise. And if you’re a few minutes early to use your Fast Pass…just ask if you can head on in…often the answer is yes.

5. Utilize Disney’s crowd control devices. In other words, for the love of all that’s holy, use Fast Pass. I am continually amazed at how many Disney guests seem to have no idea what this is or how to work it: it’s really easy, and saves so much time. Consider sending one family member (usually it’s you, Dad) with all the tickets to gather the Fast Passes for the group, so that little ones don’t have to log extra Disney miles across the park. Likewise, if you plan to a) eat dinner and b) watch a featured evening show at one of the parks, consider a Priority Seating dinner package such as this one for Fantasmic. You’ll take all the stress out of getting good seats, give yourself more time in the park to enjoy the attractions, and you had to eat anyway, right?

More Disney Done Right articles are located on our Family Vacations page.

Disney done right: Disney’s Port Orleans Resort

January 19, 2011 By
I wrote recently on the benefits of staying on-site in Walt Disney World. Of course, deciding a Disney resort is right for you and your family hardly narrows down your field of options, given that at last count, there were almost 20 of them to choose from. For our Disney World vacation, we finally settled on Disney’s Port Orleans Resort, Riverside, and we never once regretted our decision. Why?

disney-port-orleans-review

1. Location. Port Orleans is one of Disney’s largest resorts, but due to its beautiful and extensive landscaping, winding pathways, and sweeping public areas filled with magnolia blossoms and lawn, you’d never know it. It includes two distinct and separate complexes: Riverside and French Quarter, both of which have their own restaurants, pools, and recreational activities, connected by the river walk along the Sassagoula River. We stayed in Riverside, which was, yet again, divided into two sections: Alligator Bayou and Dixie Landings. Maybe we’re just not used to Southern ambiance (and hospitality), but we felt tucked away from the bustle of Disney World throughout our stay. Despite being just minutes from the theme parks by way of Disney transportation buses and even closer to Downtown Disney by boat, Port Orleans felt quiet and tranquil. Not easy to come by in Orlando! (Note: I’d heard complaints about the walk from the far buildings to the lobby/dining area (Riverside Mill). We were quite far from the center of things in Building 36, and didn’t mind the ten minute walk in the least. Ol’ Man Island, the main swimming complex, is situated in the middle of the buildings (think of a hub and spokes), and is easy to access for everyone.)

2. Amenities. Port Orleans isPort Orleans Disney listed as a ‘moderate’ Disney resort, which distinguishes it from the lower-cost ‘value’ resorts in two main ways that made a difference to our family (and might make a difference to yours): recreational opportunities and dining. Each moderate resort has at least one themed pool and several ‘quiet’ pools (we had one right outside our door and loved it!), and other recreational opportunities such as canoe or boat rentals, video arcades, and thematic activities (in Port Orleans’ case, cane-pole fishing). Ol’ Man Island features a free-form pool, slide, hot tubs, and a pool-side bar (values do not have slides or hot tubs) that we used nightly (the pool and the bar). In addition, each moderate resort features at least one sit-down restaurant in addition to their food court, Riverside Mill. (Value resorts do not.) If you envision yourself and your family spending even a moderate amount of time (no pun intended) at the resort, and don’t want to drop the dough for a deluxe room, a moderate such as Port Orleans might work best for you.

Disney's Port Orleans pool

3. Price. In my opinion, you get far more for your resort dollar at a moderate than you would at a value, and not much less than you would at a deluxe. (That sounds like a riddle!) Let me try that again: you get almost as many bells and whistles as you would at a deluxe for up to half the nightly room rate. (Note: Port Orleans’s Alligator Bayou rooms fit families of five…provided that one family member can fit on their ‘trundle’ bed, which pulls out from underneath one of their standard ones. Our youngest son found it quite comfortable, but I wouldn’t try it with anyone over the age of 6-8.)

What not to miss: As I hinted at above, staying in a Disney resort is almost like visiting an additional theme park: there’s a lot to do and see, and you want to make time to enjoy it. We took an entire day off from the parks just to explore Port Orleans, but even if you can’t spare that kind of time, make sure you swim at Ol’ Man Island (and maybe fish for bluegill in their stocked pond), take a cruise down the river to Downtown Disney (have your kids ask your boat captain for a Disney Transportation captain’s card), take in the evening comedy show at the River Roost, and take the plunge on the dragon slide at the French Quarter pool (guests of Riverside has use of the French Quarter pool, and vice versa!).

Room Rates: $130-150 at time of our visit. Check for most up-to-date rates.

Main Dining Options: Riverside Mill Food Court and Boatwrights (both on the Disney Dining Plan). Snacks available at the general store. Rooms have mini-fridges, which we used to fill with breakfast supplies and snacks. If you’re flying to the resort, as we did, consider pre-ordering groceries to be delivered to Port Orleans on the day of your arrival with Garden Grocer.

Distance from the parks: Under five minutes. (Note: we’re big believers in leaving the car behind and using Disney transportation. We never waited longer than ten minutes for a bus at any of the Port Orleans bus depots.)

Read more Disney Done Right articles on our Family Vacations page.

Photo credit

Disney done right: Making the most of your Disney vacation

January 16, 2011 By

At Pit Stops for Kids, we’re big fans of Disney, but we know planning (and enjoying) a Disney vacation with kids can be overwhelming! In our upcoming series of articles, Disney Done Right, we offer our (kid and parent tested) tips for making the most of your time in the happiest place on earth!

1. Plan an extended visit. If possible, book at least one week at Disney World or three days (This is especially beneficial if the most expensive single cost of your vacation is getting there and back.) You just can’t do these massive theme parks justice with less time, and you’ll only exhaust yourself trying. (You can’t see it all in a week, either, but a month or more isn’t an option for most families!) A longer visit equals more downtime, and while you may think R&R is hardly the goal at a theme park, without it, you’ll be miserable by Day 3. We made sure to rest every day, and reserved one entire day for simply exploring and enjoying our resort. More time also leads to more inter-family harmony: if you have two days to devote to Animal Kingdom, for instance, you can focus on rides one day and dining and shows the next. It’s simply more relaxing when you’re not sprinting through the Florida humidity, agreed?

2. Stay on-site at a Disney property. Yes, I know it’s much cheaper to stay half a block awayfrom the main gates. And yes, I happily advice families to take advantage of the price and convenience of rental properties such as HomeAway whenever possible,  but in the case of Disney, I am a purist. Why? Because never is the adage ‘time is money’ more true than during a Disney vacation. And I’m not talking about Extra Magic Hour: when you stay on-site, you’re simply closer to all the action…and to your hotel room should someone (you, most likely) need a nap, a snack, or a dip in the pool. Plus, you can use Disney transportation and have the opportunity to add the Disney meal plan, not to mention the fact that most Disney resorts are like additional theme parks in themselves. When we stayed at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort, we did our own laundry, ate all our breakfasts in our room, and returned to the hotel every day of our vacation to rest and swim mid-day. I like to think staying on-site kept us sane. (Extra tip: if you have very young children in strollers, consider staying on the Monorail Line at the Disney World resort–the Contemporary, Grand Floridian, or Polynesian–so you don’t have to disturb sleeping kids and babies to fold strollers!)

3. Make (and follow) an itinerary utilizing planning tools. I admit it: I’m a schedule Nazi. But even a generalized itinerary for your visit helps you to make the most of your day. We’ve all seen people wandering the happiest place on earth, grumbling about what to do next, and we certainly don’t want to be them. Start by looking up the exact hours each park will be open for each day during your visit, figure out what shows and parades you want to see, and which restaurants you want to try. It makes a difference: the parks open earliest will fill up the fastest but also empty the fastest in the later afternoon, as everyone who attended the morning Extra Magic Hour jumps ship for another park later in the day: consider taking an alternate path from the masses. If you’re very ambitious, I can personally recommend Tour Guide Mike, an online planning tool and wealth of park information that will change the way you look at touring Disney parks. ‘Mike’ will give you the ideal days to tour each park during your visit based on a scientific-(ish) using factors such as time of year, projected crowd levels, park hours and events, and more. The small membership fee is well worth your money.

Expedition Everest4. Take advantage of shopping opportunities. No, I don’t mean you should get out your wallet every time you’re fed through a souvenir shop, although that’s up to you. I mean that Disney’s shopping areas signify two things: crowd control and extended hours. For instance: Disneyland and Magic Kingdom‘s Main Street typically stays open up to an hour after official park closing. If you were planning on browsing the shops (or even having a late dinner or evening dessert) at the end of your day, don’t make the mistake the other thousands of visitors will do: there’s no need to hit the shops an hour before closing. Use that final hour to ride attractions, then shop and eat during your ‘bonus’ hour…the same hour everyone else is filing onto buses and into parking lots.  Concerning crowd control: you know how Main Street (and Disney’s other parks’ equivalents) become jam-packed before and after parades and fireworks? So does Disney…which is why all their shops connect. That’s right: there are no walls between 99% of Main Street’s stores, which allows savvy visitors to walk straight through (in the comfort of air conditioning) instead of elbowing through the crowds on the street.

5. Visit with characters at the table, not in the parks. You can spend half your day chasing down Piglet and Pooh in Fantasyland, or you can meet-and-greet in style at the Crystal Palace while dining on stuffed french toast. Seems like a no-brainer to me. Same goes for those princesses your preschooler is bugging you for some face-time with. It’s a huge time-saver, and you and your family almost always get extra attention than if you’d waited in line in the Florida sun. (Extra tip: for dining venues inside parks, schedule your character breakfasts for approximately one hour before park opening. You’ll finish eating and be released into the park right before opening, giving you the jump on all the rope-droppers.)

Read more Disney tips on our Disney Done Right page!